bards battle diffusing confined reality

Quandrix Professor of Theory

Monsters Strixhaven: A Curriculum of Chaos

minds, probability, and the fabric of magic itself. Their equations shift perceptions in profound ways, alter probability, and interfere with the formation of other magic. In battle, the professors tweak

interacts with the world can change the world. They impress upon their students to use magic as a tool to shape the overall experience of reality, and in turn make the world a better place. Quandrix

Viari

Monsters Acquisitions Incorporated

adventurer was nearly cut short during a battle of which the bards still sing. Unleashing a devastating attack with the aptly named Apocalypse Dagger, the rogue destroyed a giant single-handedly — and lost

Swarmkeeper

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

force in battle, as well as helpful company for the ranger. Some Swarmkeepers are outcasts or hermits, keeping to themselves and their attendant swarms rather than dealing with the discomfort of others

chapter 3 of Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Also, remember that the swarm’s appearance is yours to customize, and don’t feel confined to a single appearance. Perhaps the spirits’ look changes with the ranger’s mood or with the seasons. You decide!

Vladimir Horngaard

Monsters Curse of Strahd

witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir's beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather than cower in his lair, Argynvost emerged and

it forever. It angers Vladimir that he and his fellow knights are also trapped, but in Vladimir's mind, such is the price of keeping the vampire confined. Even his love for Godfrey is now just a dim

Swarmkeeper (TCoE)

Classes Tasha’s Cauldron of Everything

force in battle, as well as helpful company for the ranger. Some Swarmkeepers are outcasts or hermits, keeping to themselves and their attendant swarms rather than dealing with the discomfort of others

chapter 3 of Tasha's Cauldron of Everything. Also, remember that the swarm’s appearance is yours to customize, and don’t feel confined to a single appearance. Perhaps the spirits’ look changes with the ranger’s mood or with the seasons. You decide!

Rak Tulkhesh

Monsters Eberron: Rising from the Last War

impulses that drives many mortals to battle. Fear, greed, hatred — these are seeds that the Rage of War sows in the hopes of producing a bloody harvest. Rak Tulkhesh typically takes the form of a vaguely

divided among a group of Khyber shards spread through the underworld and is confined to those shards by the light of the Silver Flame. While shattered and bound, the Rage of War can't bring his full power

Deck of Several Things

Magic Items Lost Laboratory of Kwalish

effect. Donjon. You are instantly teleported to and confined within the prison of the Monastery of the Distressed Body (area M6). Everything you were wearing and carrying stays behind in the

adventure. The Fates. Reality’s fabric unravels and spins anew, allowing you to avoid or erase one event as if it never happened. You can use the card’s magic as soon as you draw the card

Deck of Many Things Legacy

Magic Items Basic Rules (2014)

property vanishes. Businesses, buildings, and land you own are lost in a way that alters reality the least. Any documentation that proves you should own something lost to this card also disappears

you, warning all others that you must win the battle alone. The avatar fights until you die or it drops to 0 hit points, whereupon it disappears. If anyone tries to help you, the helper summons its

Knight of the Order

Backgrounds Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide

important than the gear and fighting style of its members, and so most of these orders aren’t limited to fighting types, but are open to all sorts of folk who are willing to battle and die for the

. The reality of the dangers they faced eventually sank in, as did Lurue’s tenets. Over time the small group grew and spread, gaining a following in places as far as Cormyr. The Knights of the

Banrion the Unicorn

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Infernal Machine Rebuild

Banrion the Unicorn As the guardian of the fey woods, the unicorn Banrion has grown weary in her losing battle against the hags, and remains effectively confined to the rocky plateau that is her lair

Bards

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide

Bards Bards hold a special place of responsibility and respect in the Forgotten Realms. They are bearers of news, gossip, and messages in their travels from place to place, in addition to being

living storehouses of history and folklore. Bards know a great deal, and they tend to be willing to share what they know, or at least barter for it. The arrival of a renowned bard is a special occasion

2. Hall of War

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tomb of Annihilation

with green flames flicker on the walls, and the air reeks of dung. Two wagons are parked in one corner, and a triceratops is confined to a metal pen in another. To the west are a pair of dark alcoves

stone (the remains of petrified victims) litter the floor in the alcoves. The triceratops confined to the metal pen in the northwest corner is docile until threatened. The yuan-ti use it to pull

Espionage Agency Contacts

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

receive. Agency Contacts d8 Contact 1 A condescending career desk agent who views you as expendable tools 2 A bitter former field agent, now confined to a field office, who envies your work 3 A

those in the “good old days” 5 A hotheaded former soldier who would prefer a return to open warfare instead of this so-called “Shadow War” 6 A battle-scarred field agent who would do almost anything to

The Heirs of Dhakaan

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

commanders, typically having the skills of fighters, bards, or rangers. Bugbears cultivate a focused battle rage and are typically barbarians. Goblins are largely artisans and laborers, but

, or druids. Their focus is on martial excellence, and their spiritual leaders are bards, who tell tales of past glory. Among the Dhakaan, goblinoids work together. Hobgoblins are the strategists and

Personal Goal

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

sworn to do, or die trying. 4 Leadership. You will win a great battle that bards will sing about, and in so doing, you will become an example to inspire others. 5 Faith. You know your path is righteous

Bard Subclasses

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Player’s Handbook

Bard Subclasses A Bard subclass is a specialization that grants you features at certain Bard levels, as specified in the subclass. Bards form loose associations, which they call colleges, to preserve

Harmony with the Cosmos Bards of the College of Dance know that the Words of Creation can’t be contained within speech or song; the words are uttered by the movements of celestial bodies and flow

Lords' Alliance

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

agents include sophisticated bards, zealous paladins, talented mages, and grizzled warriors. They are chosen primarily for their loyalty and are experts in observation, stealth, innuendo, and combat

cold and rain, waiting for battle while hunger gnaws at their bellies? Many wish to reap the rewards of a good harvest, but few care to remove the stones and till the fields for planting. “The Lords

Redcloak Battalion

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

Battalion. This elite unit fought at the forefront of the Last War, and Brelish bards still sing of the exploits of Khandan the Hammer and Meira the Huntress. At the end of the war, the battalion was split

snarling displacer beast surrounded by the words, “First in battle, last to fall”—the Redcloak insignia and motto—on the right. Allies. As part of Breland’s military forces, the Redcloaks can count on

A Bard's Muse

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Xanathar's Guide to Everything

A Bard’s Muse Naturally, every bard has a repertoire of songs and stories. Some bards are generalists who can draw from a wide range of topics for each performance, and who take pride in their

versatility. Others adopt a more personal approach to their art, driven by their attachment to a muse — a particular concept that inspires much of what those bards do in front of an audience. A bard who

Breaking the Contract

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus

Baldur’s Gate, he crawled out of the River Styx as a lemure. In accordance with the terms of their contract, Zariel promoted him to an amnizu, then confined him in her fortress (see “Poor Devil: Thavius

remain bound to Zariel by the Creed Resolute. Killing Thavius. Characters hoping for a climactic battle against a worthy adversary won’t find one by fighting Thavius Kreeg. Despite the power he now

Playing During the Last War

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Eberron: Rising from the Last War

political intrigue, tenuous alliances, and brutal conflicts. Consider these ways to make the Last War a present reality in your campaign: The players create new characters who live during a specific phase of

in a memorable battle? Do they take actions they’ll later regret? Do they make a bitter enemy who comes back to haunt them years later, when the campaign continues in the present day? A magical

Gods of Theros

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

as she watched their battle unfold. —Jenna Helland, Godsend Responding to a single sailor’s slight, vengeful Keranos, god of storms, sends lightning to strike a Meletian galley on the Siren Sea

higher reality, perhaps Nyx itself. And other people, particularly leonin, believe that the gods are undeserving of mortal reverence.

3. Kennel

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Lost Mine of Phandelver

3. Kennel The Cragmaws keep a kennel of foul-tempered wolves that they are training for battle. Just inside the cave mouth, a few uneven stone steps lead up to a small, dank chamber on the east side

chained up just inside the opening. Each wolf’s chain leads to an iron rod driven into the base of a stalagmite. Three wolves are confined here. They can’t reach targets standing on the steps, but all

Lady of Masks

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Storm King's Thunder

Lady of Masks Countess Sansuri is a greedy and vainglorious giant who lives in the clouds, untethered from reality, convinced that she is the victim of a great injustice and surrounded by jealous

aid of detect magic spells. Dead characters are unceremoniously dropped through the hole in the audience chamber floor. Living captives are confined to cages in the dungeon (area 8) and left unguarded. Unless the prisoners manage to escape, Sansuri feeds them to her griffons in area 7 the next day.

Classes Summary

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Basic Rules (2014)

who can enter a battle rage d12 Strength Strength & Constitution Light and medium armor, shields, simple and martial weapons Bard An inspiring magician whose power echoes the music of

derived from a bargain with an extraplanar entity d8 Charisma Wisdom & Charisma Light armor, simple weapons Wizard A scholarly magic-user capable of manipulating the structures of reality d6 Intelligence Intelligence & Wisdom Daggers, darts, slings, quarterstaffs, light crossbows

Keranos's Champions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Mythic Odysseys of Theros

Find a long-lost artifact that bestows oracular visions upon the user. 5 Defeat the champion of another god in a battle of wits (perhaps Phenax, Mogis, or Klothys). 6 Find and restore a

prophecies, potentially drawing in secrets of the other gods or of reality itself. It is relatively easy for a mortal to lose Keranos’s favor because the god is quick to anger and doesn’t suffer failure

15. The Great Hall

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Tales from the Yawning Portal->a3

15. The Great Hall This hallway is twenty feet wide and has piles of rubble and debris scattered along its length. The walls are covered with frescoes. The south wall displays scenes of a battle

. The hallway extends only 5 feet beyond the arch. The western wall is a cleverly painted mural designed to give the illusion of depth and reality, and the obscuring effect of the poison gas contributes

Keeping Combat Moving

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Dungeon Master’s Guide

. See “Fight or Flight” later in this chapter for more suggestions. Add a Combatant To add excitement to a battle, consider adding a combatant. Maybe a monstrous predator wanders onto the scene where the

characters are locked in battle with another foe. Or maybe the noise of the ongoing combat attracts the attention of nearby dungeon denizens. The new combatant might attack both the characters and

Princes and Scorpions

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Journeys through the Radiant Citadel

battle, both princes thank the characters for their assistance. Kirina, Prince of Niba As the eldest son of the king of Niba, Kirina (chaotic evil, human veteran) was raised knowing he might be named

empire, it would be a point of pride for the whole land—so Simbon feels obligated to act as though he wants to be Empress Inaya’s heir. In reality, Simbon believes his poor tactical mind and hedonistic

Vladimir Horngaard

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Curse of Strahd

tide and was killed, only after the heartbreak of witnessing Strahd himself slay Vladimir’s beloved, his fellow knight Sir Godfrey Gwilym. With the battle won, Strahd surrounded Argynvostholt. Rather

confined. Even his love for Godfrey is now just a dim memory shrouded by his hate. Were Vladimir to let go of his hatred, his spirit would find peace and could remember the warmth of love. Were Strahd to

Boros Angels

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Guildmasters' Guide to Ravnica

evil and oppression. They are commanders, advisors, strategists, and soldiers. Their presence in battle inspires the mortal soldiers of the legion with righteous zeal. Most Boros soldiers assume that

angels are paragons of goodness, wisdom, and mercy. The reality is that angels aren’t immune to the temptations of corruption, and the necessities of political machination can compromise the best of them

Giants and Other Ancients

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants

decide to create a campaign where the conflicts among the ancients, like the Thousand-Year War between giants and dragons in the Forgotten Realms, are not a matter of ancient history but a present reality

between the warring parties are isolated events along the lines of the world-shaking events described in “Campaign Events.” You might begin the campaign with one such battle, have the adventurers

Hill Giants

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Volo's Guide to Monsters

, but most of them recover and don’t learn anything from the experience. The rare exceptions are called mouths of Grolantor — giants that are confined and starved to the point of emaciation before being

unleashed during a battle or a raid. The stench that exudes from a hill giant den might attract monstrous scavengers such as oozes, ropers, carrion crawlers, or otyughs. Hill giants don’t domesticate

Goblinoids

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->Wayfinder's Guide to Eberron

fighters, bards, or rangers. Bugbears cultivate a focused battle rage and are typically barbarians, serving as shock troops. Goblins are largely artisans and laborers, but exceptional goblins join the

Dhakaani. The Heirs of Dhakaan are an agnostic society and don’t have clerics, paladins, or druids. Their focus is on martial excellence, and their spiritual leaders are bards, who inspire their warriors

Watchtower

Compendium - Sources->Dungeons & Dragons->The Book of Many Things

Realm uprooted the spire from regular space and time and transformed everyone inside into deadly Aberrations. But wards placed by the knights long before kept the Far Realm’s magic confined within

minions. Mekkalath is aware of the death tyrant, and if it escapes, Mekkalath soon moves to destroy this potential rival and secure his dominance over the hill. Such a battle might last long enough for

D&D Beyond

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